Beech BE-58P accident near Beaufort, South Carolina, November 4, 1983
On November 4, 1983 at about 9:07 pm local time, a Beech BE-58P, registered N3688E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beaufort, South Carolina (Beaufort Company airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 1983 · about 9:07 pm local time
- Place
- Beaufort, South Carolina · Beaufort Company · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-58P
- Registration
- N3688E · registry record · serial TJ-299
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH VARIOUS ELETRICALLY OPERATED COMPONENTS DURING THE LATTER PART OF THE FLT. DURING DESCENT INTO BEAUFORT, HE LOST THE ABILITY TO TRANSMIT AND COMMUNICATED TO ATC BY TRANSPONDER. THE PLT SAID HE PUT THE GEAR AND FLAPS DOWN AND THOUGHT HE SAW GREEN LIGHTS. ON TOUCHDOWN HE HEARD GRINDING NOISES AND THE PROPS HIT. AFTER STOPPING THE GEAR WERE IN THE WELLS AND THE FLAPS WERE UP AND THE COWL FLAPS CLOSED. THE PLT STATED THAT THE GEAR AND FLAP CONTROLS WERE DOWN. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,534 hours in all; 1,326 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 224 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-WB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GMU Greenville SC
- Destination: 73J Beaufort SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6, 3,430 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.